Monday, September 11th

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Ava walked into the art classroom with a sense of nervous excitement. She had been looking forward to this class all summer, eager to learn new techniques and expand her artistic abilities. As she scanned the room, she saw a few familiar faces from last year's class, but mostly new students she didn't recognize.

As she walked over to her assigned seat, she noticed two boys sitting next to each other and chatting animatedly. One had sandy blonde hair and a mischievous grin, while the other had jet black hair and an intense gaze. Ava couldn't help but feel curious about them, wondering what kind of art they created and what their stories were.

"Hi there, I'm Jack," the blonde boy said, extending his hand. "And this is Max."

Ava shook their hands and introduced herself, feeling a spark of connection already. There was something about the way they talked about art, with such passion and enthusiasm, that made her feel like she had found her people.

"Have you guys picked your first project yet?" Ava asked, eager to get started.

As they chatted about their ideas and shared sketches, Ava felt a sense of excitement and possibility building inside her. This was going to be a good year.

The art classroom was bright and airy, with large windows that let in the afternoon light. There was a long table in the center of the room, covered with jars of brushes, tubes of paint, and stacks of paper. Along the walls, there were shelves filled with books and sculptures, and posters of famous artists and their works.

Ava took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm settle over her. She loved this room, with its creative energy and sense of possibility. She was excited to start her new school year in this classroom, with a new art teacher and new projects to tackle.

Just then, the art teacher walked in. Mrs. Lopez was a middle-aged woman with curly hair and a warm smile. She greeted the students and began to walk around the room, introducing herself and chatting with the students.

Ava felt a sense of ease around Mrs. Lopez, sensing that she was a kind and supportive teacher who genuinely cared about her students' creative growth.

"Welcome back, everyone," Mrs. Lopez said, clapping her hands together. "I'm excited to see what kind of art we can create together this year. We have a lot of exciting projects planned, and I can't wait to see what kind of ideas you all come up with."

As the art teacher began the class, Ava couldn't help but notice that both Jack and Max seemed to be hiding something. There was a certain guardedness in their expressions, as if they were keeping secrets. Ava felt a twinge of curiosity, wondering what was behind those enigmatic gazes.

As the class continued, Ava started to relax into her work. She focused on the gentle strokes of her pencil as it moved across the paper, and the soft scratchy sound it made as she sketched out her ideas for the first project. The art teacher had given them a simple task - to draw a still life composition using objects from their personal lives.

Ava looked around the room and saw the other students hard at work, each of them interpreting the task in their own unique way. Some had pencils and charcoal, others had paints and brushes, and one girl was even using a camera to capture her still life composition in a photograph.

Ava decided to use a mix of pencils and pastels to create her composition. She pulled out her sketchbook and started drawing objects that held a special meaning to her - a necklace her grandmother had given her, a book she had cherished since childhood, and a photo of her and her best friend.

As she worked, she felt herself getting lost in the details of each object, the way the light fell on them, and the emotions they evoked in her. It was like she was telling a story with her art, and she couldn't wait to see how it would turn out.

But even as she worked, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else going on in the classroom. She stole another glance at Jack and Max, who were both focused on their own work now. But there was still a sense of unease in the air, as if something had shifted between them.

As the class continued, Max and Jack both noticed Ava stealing glances at them. They exchanged a look, silently communicating their curiosity about the new girl in class. Max couldn't help but feel drawn to her, intrigued by her quiet confidence and the way she seemed to lose herself in her artwork.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Jack, on the other hand, was more cautious. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about Ava, something that made him uneasy. He tried to push those thoughts aside and focus on his own work, but he couldn't help but glance up at her every now and then.

As the class came to an end, Max and Jack packed up their supplies and made their way out of the classroom. They walked together, lost in thought about the new addition to their class.

"I can't help but feel like she's different from the other students," Max said, breaking the silence between them.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I noticed that too. There's something about her that's hard to place."

They both fell silent again, lost in their own thoughts about Ava and the mysteries she seemed to bring with her. 

Ava caught up with Max and Jack as they were leaving the classroom, and walked with them to the school cafeteria. The space was bustling with students chatting, eating, and catching up with friends. They grabbed trays and made their way to a table in the corner.

"So, Ava, what do you think of the school so far?" Max asked, as they settled in.

"It's different from my old school, but I like it," Ava replied. "The art class seems cool. What about you guys?"

"We've been here since freshman year, so we're used to it," Jack said with a grin. "But it's not too bad."

As they ate, they chatted about their classes, favorite TV shows, and hobbies. Ava felt more at ease with them, and enjoyed the easy flow of conversation.

"So, what do you guys do outside of school?" Ava asked, taking a sip of her drink.

Max and Jack exchanged a quick glance before Max spoke up. "We like to explore the city. There are so many hidden gems and cool places to check out."

Ava raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Like what?"

Jack leaned in. "Well, have you ever been to the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town? We go there sometimes to explore."

Ava felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought of exploring an abandoned warehouse. "That sounds… cool," she said, trying to mask her nervousness.

Max chuckled. "Don't worry, we'll take you sometime. It's not as scary as it sounds."

As they finished up their lunch and said their goodbyes, Ava felt a sense of excitement. She had made new friends and had a new year to look forward to. But she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to Max and Jack than what they let on. She was determined to find out what their secrets were, no matter the cost.

As Ava walked away from the cafeteria, she couldn't help but feel that something was off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was an unease in her gut that she couldn't shake off. The way Max and Jack had exchanged that quick glance, and the mention of the abandoned warehouse – it all seemed too strange.

Ava decided to take a walk around the campus to clear her head. As she walked, she noticed a small group of students gathered around something. She walked closer to see what was going on and saw that they were gathered around a small statue of a heart.

The heart was painted in bright colors and was surrounded by flowers and candles. Ava couldn't help but feel drawn to it, and she reached out to touch it. As her fingers brushed against the paint, she felt a strange energy coursing through her body. It was like the heart was alive, pulsing with a mysterious power.

One of the students noticed Ava and approached her. "Hi, are you new here?"

Ava nodded. "Yes, I am."

The student pointed to the painted heart. "This is for Emily. She passed away recently. She was one of us, and we wanted to remember her in our own way."

Ava felt a pang of sadness. "I'm sorry for your loss."

The student smiled. "Thanks. Emily was a special person. She loved art, just like us. In fact, our first art project is going to be a tribute to her. We want to create something that captures her spirit, her essence."

Ava nodded, feeling a newfound respect for these students. They were using their art to remember someone they loved, to honor her memory. She felt a pull towards them, a desire to be a part of their group.

But as they walked away from the painted heart, Ava couldn't shake off the feeling that something was still off. She knew that there was more to this school and its students than what met the eye. 

As Ava walked away from the painted heart, she noticed something else that caught her eye. There were small hearts painted in chalk in the hallway around the statue, each one leading to the next like a trail of breadcrumbs. She couldn't help but feel curious about where they led.

Without thinking twice, Ava started to follow the trail of hearts, each step taking her deeper into the school. She passed by classrooms, the library, and the gymnasium until finally, the trail led her to a door that seemed out of place.

It was an old and rusted door, unlike any of the other doors in the school. Ava hesitated for a moment before slowly pushing it open. Inside, she found a room that was clearly not used by the school anymore. Dust covered the floor and the furniture was old and worn out.

But what caught Ava's attention were the paintings on the wall. They were beautiful and intricate, each one depicting a different scene of nature. Ava couldn't help but be drawn to them, feeling like there was something more to them than just art.

As she examined the paintings, Ava noticed something strange. There were small hearts hidden in each of them, painted in the same style as the ones she had seen in the hallway. But these hearts had something else written inside them, something that made Ava's heart skip a beat.

The words read: "Find me."